MLB Player News
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Otto Kemp 3B | PHI
Phillies' Otto Kemp: Homers twice in loss
Kemp went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Yankees.
Kemp doubled his home-run total for the season with his two long balls Sunday -- he extended the Phillies' lead to 2-0 with an opposite-field blast off Carlos Rodon in the second inning before launching a 434-foot shot off Rodon in the fifth. The 25-year-old Kemp has seen regular playing time in the absence of Alec Bohm (rib), though he'd gone just 1-for-12 in his previous five contests. Overall, Kemp is slashing .250/.323/.411 with 14 RBI and 14 runs scored across 124 plate appearances this year.
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Josh Naylor 1B | SEA
Mariners' Josh Naylor: Swipes two more bags in loss
Naylor went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Angels.
Naylor has literally hit the ground running to begin his time with the Mariners, swiping three bags over his first three games since he was traded from the Diamondbacks. He has gone 3-for-11 with a walk and four strikeouts in those contests. Overall, the first baseman is at a .292/.359/.442 slash line with 14 steals, 11 home runs, 59 RBI, 50 runs scored, 19 doubles and one triple through 96 games. He has quickly settled into an everyday role, as expected, with his new team.
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Warming Bernabel 3B | COL
Rockies' Warming Bernabel: Smacks first big-league homer
Bernabel went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Orioles.
Making just his second big-league start, Bernabel was responsible for the entirety of Colorado's offense Sunday with his second-inning homer off Tomoyuki Sugano. The 23-year-old Bernabel is now 2-for-6 to start his major-league career after batting .301 with eight homers and an .806 OPS across 75 games with Triple-A Albuquerque this year. He should see regular playing time in the Rockies' infield following Ryan McMahon's trade to the Yankees.
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Rowdy Tellez 1B | TEX
Rangers' Rowdy Tellez: On bench against righty
Tellez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.
The left-handed-hitting Tellez had started at first base in each of the Rangers' previous four matchups against right-handed pitchers, but he'll hit the bench Sunday against Atlanta righty Bryce Elder. With the Rangers getting another left-handed bat in Joc Pederson (hand) back from the injured list Sunday, Tellez may have lost hold of his strong-side platoon role.
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Eric Wagaman 1B | MIN
Marlins' Eric Wagaman: Heading to bench Sunday
Wagaman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
After starting the first two games of the series, Wagaman will give way to Liam Hicks at first base. Wagaman is slashing just .118/.211/.137 since the beginning of July, and his playing time could dwindle as a result.
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Nick Kurtz 1B | ATH
Athletics' Nick Kurtz: Managing fatigue
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said that Kurtz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros due to lower-body soreness/fatigue, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Kurtz went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run in Saturday's 5-1 win after his historic 6-for-6 performance Friday that included four home runs, eight RBI and six runs. The rookie will get a well-deserved break Sunday, with Kotsay characterizing Kurtz's absence from the lineup as more of a rest day, even though the skipper conceded that Kurtz was dealing with some fatigue. Kurtz will still be available off the bench Sunday and should return to the lineup for Monday's series opener versus the Mariners.
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Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt: Losing out on playing time
Goldschmidt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
Goldschmidt will be on the bench for the third time in the Yankees' last four matchups, this time against Zack Wheeler. For the season, Goldschmidt is slashing just .246/.292/.332 in 276 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, and he could continue to cede more starts in those matchups to Ben Rice, who has produced a 131 wRC+ versus righties.
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Michael Toglia 1B | COL
Rockies' Michael Toglia: Losing out on regular starts
Toglia is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Toglia appears to have lost his regular role at first base to Warming Bernabel, as he'll be on the bench Sunday for the third time in four games. Since getting called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on June 16, Toglia has hit .193 with four home runs and one steal in 30 games while continuing to strike out at a high rate (37.3 percent).
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Ryan O'Hearn 1B | PIT
Orioles' Ryan O'Hearn: Out against lefty again
O'Hearn is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies.
O'Hearn will hit the bench for the third time in four games while the Orioles face off against another lefty starter in Austin Gomber. O'Hearn is slashing just .212/.317/.269 in 60 plate appearances versus southpaws on the season and looks to have moved into a pure platoon role.
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Spencer Steer 1B | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Out of Sunday's lineup
Steer is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.
Steer started the first two games of the series and will receive Sunday off after going 1-for-7 with two walks, a run and three strikeouts. He's batting just .213 (13-for-61) with four extra-base hits through 19 contests in July. Santiago Espinal is starting at first base in the series finale.